Molded bag and process for manufacture thereof

ABSTRACT

This invention is a method for making purses and other bags. The first part of the process is forming a female mold of the bag. This mold can be formed in extreme detail. The mold is then preheated and colored plastic is then poured into it. The mold is then lowered into a hot oil or salt bath and the plastic and the hot oil or salt reacts causing the plastic to line the interior wall of the mold. The mold is then taken out of the hot oil or salt bath and placed in a cooling tank where the plastic is cooled and sets. The mold is taken out of the cooling tank and the unfinished bag is removed from the mold. The bag is then finished by polishing and adding any accessories such as snaps, zippers, linings, and handles to the bag. The process can be used to form a hard or soft sided bag.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] Most purses and soft side bags such as sporting bags are formedby sewing them together, or molded by an injection molding process. Toproduce bags by these processes is expensive and time consuming. Thus,one of the objectives to this invention is to create a bag by a processthat is less expensive and less time consuming than by sewing the bagtogether, or injection molding. The inventor concluded that it would beeasier to manufacture and less expensive and time consuming if the bagor purse could be slush molded rather than sewn or injection molded. Thelow cost is attributed to low mold costs and the economy of smallproduction runs. Thus, one of the objectives of this invention is tocreate a hand bag or purse that is molded and exhibits extreme detail.Further, most molded purses, up to this time have looked very simple andunappealing in appearance. Thus, one of the objectives of this inventionis to create a molded purse/bag that is very detailed in appearance.

[0002] Applicant has utilized a slush molding method for creatingpurses/bags that are attractive and detailed. In fact, applicant canmake his purse/bag look almost like any other purse/bag on the market.The molding process can produce a purse/bag with a great deal of detailincluding various surface textures and stitch lines. The process canalso be used to produce a purse/bag that looks like it is made out ofleather or cloth or other material.

[0003] A feature that allows the inventor to meet these objectives isthat he has found a molding process that enables the molder to produce ahard side bag or flexible side bag that has extremely detailedcharacteristics. It is possible with this process to copy a bag alreadyin the market place in exacting detail, or create an entirely new 3dimensionally shaped purse or bag.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] This invention is a method for making purses and other bags. Thefirst part of the process is forming a female mold of the bag. This moldcan be formed in extreme detail. The mold is then preheated and coloredplastic is then poured into it. The mold is then lowered into a hot oilor salt bath and the plastic and the hot oil or salt reacts causing theplastic to line the interior wall of the mold. The mold is then takenout of the hot oil or salt bath and placed in a cooling tank where theplastic is cooled and sets. The mold is taken out of the cooling tankand the unfinished bag is removed from the mold. The bag is thenfinished by polishing and adding any accessories such as snaps, zippers,linings, and handles to the bag. The process can be used to form a hardor soft sided bag.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005]FIG. 1 is a view of the mixing cylinder.

[0006]FIG. 2 is a view of the plastic being poured into the mode.

[0007]FIG. 3 is a view of the molds being lowered into the hot oil bath.

[0008]FIG. 4 is a view of the molds being lowered into the cooling tank.

[0009]FIG. 5 is a view of the unfinished bags being removed from themold.

[0010]FIG. 6 is a step diagram showing the seven steps used in makingthe molds for the creation of the bag.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0011] The first step in the process of manufacturing a purse or a bagis to create the mold 10. For this process, a female mold 10 is needed.The mold 10 is usually created out of copper, aluminum or nickel,however, other suitable materials can be used. In the usual case the molcan be made out of any material that can withstand 300 to 400 degrees F.and the liquid plastic and plasiticizer. The mold 10 can be made withextreme detailed characteristics. The mold 10 can show the surfacetexture of the object and stitch lines.

[0012]FIG. 6 shows the steps in making a mode. One of the easiest waysto make this mold 10 is to use a model of the final product as shown instep 1 of FIG. 6. In step 2 the model is used to make a plaster cast. Instep 3 a fiberglass or wax negative is made by filling plaster the castwith wax or fiberglass. The negative is then sprayed with silver andplaced in a plating bath of nickel copper or aluminum for an elapsedtime. After the elapsed time the plating bath hardens and becomes thefinal mold. The fiberglass or wax is removed creating a cavity mold.This allows the mold 10 to be created in extreme detail. If thepurse/bag used to copy is has been used/worn even the marking from thewear and tear could be reproduced.

[0013] The next step in the process is to mix the plastic with theplasiticizer. In the preferred embodiment this is done in a giant mixer12 as shown in FIG. 1. In the preferred embodiment the plastic ispolyvinylchloride. The next step is to add the color to the plastic andplasticizer. This is also done in the giant mixer 12 shown in FIG. 1.The color pigment can be poured in the mixer and slowly mixed with theplastic to create one color. The color could also just be semi-mixed soit doesn't quite mix thoroughly with the plastic. This could be donewith mixing several colors so that the end product would be a plasticwithout a thoroughly mixed color or be a plastic that has several colorswithin it.

[0014] However, in the usual case, individuals want one color items andthus, the plastic would be thoroughly mixed. Once the plastic is mixed,then you move on to step three which is poring the plastic in the moldalready created. This is shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 shows the large mixingcylinder of mixer 12, a pouring nozzle 16 and the mold 10. The mold 10,before the plastic is placed into it, is preheated. The mold in thepreferred embodiment is preheated to approximately 350 degreesFahrenheit. The plastic, which has been thoroughly mixed in the mixingcylinder of the mixer 12 flows through the pouring nozzle 16 and intothe mold 10.

[0015] Once the mold 10 is filled to the proper height with plastic itis moved to the next step; the hot oil or salt bath. The mold 10 is thendipped into the hot oil or salt bath 18 which in the preferredembodiment is also approximately 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

[0016] The dipping of the mold in the hot oil or salt bath is shown inFIG. 3. FIG. 3 shows the hot oil or salt bath 18, the mold 10 and themold hanger 20. The mold hanger 20 is slowly lowered into the hot oil orsalt bath 18. The reaction between the liquid plastic and the hot oil orsalt causes the liquid plastic to line the interior wall of the mold 10and to set the plastic.

[0017] The mold 10 is then taken out of the hot oil or salt bath byraising the mold hanger 20 and moved to the next step shown in FIG. 4.FIG. 4 shows the cooling tank 22 which is filled with a cooling liquid24, the mold 10 and the mold hanger 20. The mold hanger 20 is loweredinto the cooling tank 22 and the cooling liquid 24 cools the plasticthat is set inside the mold 10. The mold 10 is then lifted from thecooling tank 22 by rising the mold hanger 20 and now the plastic bag 24inside the mold 10 is ready to be removed.

[0018]FIG. 5 shows the next step in the process; the removal of the bag24 from the mold 10. In FIG. 5 one sees the cooling tank 22, the mold10, and mold removal basket 26. The mold 10 is placed in the moldremoval basket 26 and the unfinished plastic bag 24 is removed from theinside of the mold 10.

[0019] The unfinished plastic bag 24 is taken from the mold 10 andpolished. Also added to the unfinished bag could be pins, zippers,interior linings, carrying handles, shoulder straps, wheels, pullhandles, fittings such as Drings, clips, snaps, buckles, Velcro andlogos. This bag is produced with exquisite detail from the mold. Oncethis step, the finishing step is performed the bag 24 is ready formarket.

[0020] The bag 24 can look like it is made out of leather and is sewntogether. The thickness of the bag 25 is controlled by the amount ofplastic placed in the mold 10 and the temperature and time in which themold 10 is placed in the hot oil or salt bath 18. The type of plasticand the time and temperature of the hot oil or salt bath 18 can alsocontrol the flexibility of the bag 24. The bag can be made flexible sothat is looks like cloth or it can be made hard like a hard sidedsuitcase. The process can be used not only to make purse but alsohandbags, luggage, electronic equipment cases, sporting equipment cases,water-proof sport bags, armoires bags and accessory cases.

[0021] Changes and modifications in the specifically describedembodiments can be carried out without departing from the scope of theinvention which is intended to be limited only by the scope of theappending claims.

1. A molded bag prepared by a process comprising the steps of: a.Creating a mold of a bag; and, b. Pouring plastic with plasiticizer intothe mold; and, c. Lowering the mold into a bath which causes the plasticto line the interior wall of the mold for a length of time and attemperature then removing the mold from the bath; and, d. Placing themold in a cooling tank for cooling and setting the plastic for a lengthof time and at a temperature then removing the mold from the bath; and,e. Removing the molded plastic from the mold; and, f. Polishing theplastic; and, g. Adding accessories to the plastic to produce the bag.2. A molded bag prepared by a process as in claim 1 further comprisingthe step of: a. mixing the plastic and plasiticizer
 3. A molded bagprepared by a process as in claim 2 further comprising the step of: a.mixing the plastic and with a color pigment.
 4. A molded bag prepared bya process as in claim 2 further comprising the step of: a. preheatingthe mold before the mixture of plastic and plasiticizer is added.
 5. Amolded bag prepared by a process as in claim 1 wherein: a. the bath is ahot oil bath
 6. A molded bag prepared by a process as in claim 1wherein: a. The bath is a salt bath.
 7. A molded bag prepared by aprocess as in claim 1 wherein: a. the method for creating the mold is asfollows: b. placing a pliable substance over the model of the finalproduct to create a negative; and, c. removing the negative from themodel of the final product; and, d. spraying the negative withconductive substance; and e. placing the negative with the conductivesubstance in a plating bath of a metal and plating the negative with themetal; and, f. removing the negative from the created mold.
 8. A moldedbag prepared by a process as in claim 4 wherein: a. the pliablesubstance is wax.
 9. A molded bag prepared by a process as in claim 7wherein: a. the pliable substance is plaster.
 10. A molded bag preparedby a process as in claim 7 wherein: a. the metal is copper.
 11. A moldedbag prepared by a process as in claim 7 wherein: a. the metal is nickel.12. A molded bag prepared by a process as in claim 7 wherein: a. themetal is aluminum.
 13. A purse prepared by a process comprising thesteps of: a. creating a mold of a purse; and, b. pouring plastic withplasiticizer into the mold; and, c. lowering the mold into a bath whichcauses the plastic to line the interior wall of the mold for a length oftime and at temperature then removing the mold from the bath; and, d.placing the mold in a cooling tank for cooling and setting the plasticfor a length of time and at a temperature then removing the mold fromthe bath; and, e. removing the molded plastic from the mold; and, f.polishing the plastic; and, g. adding accessories to the plastic toproduce the purse.
 14. A purse prepared by a process as in claim 13further comprising the step of: a. mixing the plastic and plasiticizer15. A purse prepared by a process as in claim 14 further comprising thestep of: a. mixing the plastic and with a color pigment.
 16. A purseprepared by a process as in claim 14 further comprising the step of: a.preheating the mold before the mixture of plastic and plasiticizer isadded.
 17. A purse prepared by a process as in claim 13 wherein: a. themethod for creating the mold is as follows: b. placing a pliablesubstance over the model of the final product to create a negative; and,c. removing the negative from the model of the final product; and, d.spraying the negative with conductive substance; and e. placing thenegative with the conductive substance in a plating bath of a metal andplating the negative with the metal; and, f. removing the negative fromthe created mold.
 18. A molded bag prepared by a process as in claim 17wherein: a. the pliable substance is wax.
 19. A purse prepared by aprocess as in claim 17 wherein: a. the pliable substance is plaster. 20.A purse prepared by a process as in claim 17 wherein: a. the metal iscopper.